Infrastructure work part of Billtown budget

 Published Date: March 16, 2022

By JEFF LAMPE
For The Weekly Post

WILLIAMSFIELD – The Williamsfield Village Board revised a draft budget at its March 7 meeting in anticipation of approving a final budget that should include “substantial” infrastructure work, according to Village President Matt Tonkin.

The board is expected to vote at its April meeting on a Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget that should fund continued repairs to existing sidewalks, ongoing repairs at KP Hall, repairs or reconstruction of road margins that are slipping into adjacent ditches and implementation of stormwater management improvements. The latter is in response to a village survey that’s still in-process.

Trustees also voted to join both the Illinois iBID system and the GSA system, which will allow them to review and possibly buy equipment from other government bodies.

Tonkin gave an update on strategic planning MAPPING meetings, which were being held in collaboration with Western Illinois University. The meetings, which were slated to conclude March 10, have yielded four focus areas for Williamsfield: infrastructure updates, youth-focused activities, expanding park facilities and programming and village-wide beautification.

Tonkin said a formal plan will be developed to “guide implementation of these focus areas.”

In keeping with that theme, trustees tentatively approved a mini-golf extension for Doubet-Benjamin Park, pending cost estimates.

And probable dates were set for a Farmers’ Market to be held once or twice a month at Veterans Park and on surrounding streets, if needed. This was the No. 1 item identified in a survey of residents for activities at Veterans Park.

In other business, the board:
• Denied an application for a liquor license.
• Set April 2 as Paint and Electronic Recycle day.
• Discussed, at length, the issue of unsightly properties, yard cleanups and enforcing existing ordinances to improve the village’s appearance.
• Accepted a final design of the new sign commemorating Veterans Park. Tonkin said it is hoped the sign will be installed early this spring.